Bring Hattye Home

last updated 09/08/05

The week of November 10, 2003 I had a visitor with an
interesting story. His name is Jeddie Harrison here in Ardmore
and he had quite a story to tell. It all started nearly two years
ago when Jeddie went to a garage sale here in town and bought a
painting. He didn't give much attention to the painting at the
time, so he just stored it away. This week he thought about that
painting, and remembered some names written on the back of the
painting along with the artist's name, so he decided to do some
research. He discovered the artist was a Hattye Hinkle Chandler
(1874-1900). She painted the picture when she was taking art
while attending North Texas Female College in Sherman, Texas. The
best guess is Hattye painted the picture around 1893 or 1894. The
North Texas Female College Hattye attended would later become
Kid-Key College (1918-1935). Its seems that hardly any history,
photos or artifacts are still here as a reminder of the Kid-Key
College. Jeddie may have the only piece of history that still
exist with a connection to the old Sherman, Texas college.

Hattye Hinkle married young and after a lingering illness of
several months, the newspapers said she died in Ardmore at the age
26. Hattye died at noon and a funeral service was held that evening
at the Hinkle home place at 302 2nd SW (now Stanley SW).
By midnight Harvey Brothers Funeral Home was loading Hattye on a train
for that trip to Greenville, Texas. Her husband, James J. Chandler, sent
Hattye's body to Greenville for burial since his family was from that
area. James Chandler would remarry within months after Hattye's death,
and through the years his first wife Hattye was all but forgotten.
James and Hattye were married October 9, 1893 in Ardmore. Her
husband James J. Chandler opened the first pharmacy in Ardmore.
After his wife Hattye's death in 1900, James J. Chandler married
in Ardmore Ida E. Scales on December 2, 1903.

This is a photo of Judge John Hinkle and his wife Mary in
the front row. Their three children are behind from left to
right: Carra, J. Homer, and Hattye.Hinkle Family Portrait

This is a crayon portrait of Hattye done by Ida Noble
Chandler in 1900. We do not know if this portrait was done before
Hattye died in April 1900. It could have been done after her
death to memorialize her.Closeup Color Portrait of
Hattye

This is a black and white picture of Hattye from the Carter
County Pioneers BookHattye Hinkle

In the unit block of West Main in front of Citizens Bank (the old Exchange Bank)
there are two pavers someone has placed in the sidewalk for the Hinkles. One has Judge
John Hinkle's name on it, and the other his son, John Homer Hinkle. I wish we knew who
purchased these pavers in memory of the Hinkles. Hinkle Pavers

What makes this such a sad story is all of Hattye's blood
kin are all buried here in Ardmore while she is still buried by
herself in Greenville, Texas. Hattye's parents were Ardmore's
Federal Judge John Homer Hinkle and Mary Morgan Hinkle. Hattye's
parents already had a burial spot paid for and in her name at
Ardmore's Rose Hill Cemetery in the Hinkle burial lots. So the
burial spot has been waiting for her 103 years. As a side note,
Hinkle Street SW along the north side of the courthouse is named
after the Hinkle family.Hinkle Street Sign

Now let's flash back to school days in Ardmore. Everyone
sit up straight in your chairs, look toward the front, don't say
a word, and listen carefully: Myself and many of you reading this
newsletter has a round-about connection to Hattye Hinkle
Chandler. That connection is Marjorie Chandler Goodnight.
Thousands of us kids were taught penmanship at Ardmore Junior
High by Mrs. Goodnight, as she was a teacher for 44 years at
Ardmore, retiring in 1970. You see, Mrs. Goodnight (1905-1998)
was the daughter of Hattye's husband's second wife. James
remarried Ida and they had Marjorie. Here is a picture of
Marjorie Goodnight in case some of you have forgotten what that
kind, gentle, wonderful teacher looked like.Photo of Mrs Goodnight
Ardmoreite Obit

My aunt Helen Carmon (wife of Pratt Carmon) could help here
if she was mentally able to. She worked over 20 years for Hill
Shoes at 123 West Main here in Ardmore years ago. Hazen Hill,
born 1898 (husband Hubert Hill) is a daughter of Hattye Hinkle,
and right now we are having a hard time finding decendents of
Hazen and Hubert Hill. The Carter County Pioneers Book lists 3
boys for Hubert and Hazen. James who died at age 2, Wilbert a
pilot and killed while in active duty, and a James R. 'Jim' Hill.
We have been able to get in touch with Jim Hill in Florida. We've
had a couple of good, productive conversations with Jim. This is a
photo of Hattye's daughter,
Hazen Chandler Hill (1898-1990).

Right now we don't know what it would take to move Hattye
from Greenville, Texas to Ardmore. I'm sure it would take
permission from her kin, obtaining re-burial permits in Texas and
Oklahoma, grave opening and closing costs, transportation costs,
and other red tape we don't know about yet. But I do believe
there are enough of us who would like to see Hattye Hinkle
brought to Ardmore from that lonely grave in Greenville, Texas
and buried with her family members at Rose Hill Cemetery. She has
been at Greenville since 1900. One man in Ardmore said when he
learned of this, he broke down and cried, knowing she has been
buried at Greenville all these years, all alone. Can we bring
Hattye Hinkle home?

If you would like to help Bring Hattye Home, send me an Email
along with the amount you Pledge, and the city/state you live. We
will add your name to the list below. When all the details are
worked out, pledges will be called for. Do not send any money
now. We are taking pledges only.